Traditions for Future Cross-National Food Security-Food and Foraging Practices among Different Native Communities in the Western Himalayas.

Abstract

Simple SummaryBiological and cultural history is linked with neglected and underused species (NUS). Wild food plants and animals have been the focus of important investigations carried out around the world in recent decades, and it is seen as a key issue in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. In this study, we assessed the effect of geographical, political, social and economic scenarios of neighboring countries that have led to different food and foraging practices in the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. We recorded 209 species, broadly classified into plants (n = 152) and animals (n = 57), used by the local people from four biogeographic regions (Kashmir, Jammu, Azad Kashmir and Ladakh) of erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Among wild flora, 139 vascular plants and 13 mushrooms were used by the indigenous communities, whereas in the case of wild fauna, 14 mammals, 22 birds and 21 fishes were used. The Jammu and Kashmir regions showed greater similarity, whereas the least overlap was observed between the Jammu and Ladakh regions. A cross-cultural comparison of wild food resources showed that maximum overlapping was observed in plant resources, and minimum in animals between the four regions of the study area. The usage of different wild foods is also dependent on seasonality. Wild animals and birds are preferred as food in the winter season. However, in the warm months of the year, plants and fish were preferred during the summer season due to their easy accessibility, and they replace the requirement of animals during the warm months of the year. The results of the current study show that the geopolitical scenario in this region has also affected the usage of different animal and plant species for food in the historically unified region of Jammu and Kashmir. This is one of the first comprehensive studies that document the wild food heritage essential for future projects aimed at fostering conservation, environmental sustainability, food security and climate change.Traditional diets exist in all cultures and geographic regions, and they often represent healthy eating options. Traditional culinary preparations have, however, often undergone profound change, even in the isolated Himalayan region. Therefore, we adapted methods to identify traditional plant foraging activities to better understand their significance in food system sustainability, as well as to promote innovative local gastronomies. Information on wild food and foraging practices was gathered from varied ethnic groups such as Kashmiri, Gujjars, Pahari, Dogra, Bakarwal, Balti, Beda and Brokpa through interviews (n = 716) and group discussions (n = 67) in four bio-geographic regions of the Jammu and Kashmir Himalayas (J&KH). The data were subjected to ordination techniques (Principal Component Analysis) via R software Ver. 4.0.0. We documented 209 food species, of which 73% were plants and 27% animals, used by the inhabitants of four bio-geographic regions of J&KH. The highest number of food plant species was recorded in Indian Kashmir, followed by Jammu, Azad Kashmir and Ladakh (81, 65, 60 and 27 species, respectively), and the maximum number of animal species was reported in Indian Kashmir, followed by Azad Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu (33, 21, 19 and 17 species, respectively). The Azad Kashmir and Indian Kashmir regions showed greater similarity, whereas the least overlap was observed between Kashmir and Ladakh. The PCA showed considerable variation between different regions, and specific groups of species were more related to one specific region than others. The reported uses of Abies pindrow, Acacia modesta, Bergenia ciliata, Bergenia stracheyi and Juglans regia among plants, and Jynx torquilla, Streptopelia orientalis and Tadorna ferruginea among animals, are novel for the gastronomy of this part of the Himalayan region. We also recorded for the first time from this region seven unique food preparations of wild animals. This study documented extensive traditional knowledge on the usage of wild species, and is the first scientific description of wild food species and their vernacular names in the Western Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir. Our findings can contribute significantly to combating food insecurity by revitalizing and reconsidering the rich bio-cultural food heritage around which local traditional communities have developed their food systems.